www.rdmag.com December 2017 R&DMagazine 39
LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY
CO-DEVELOPER: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-CHAMPAIGN

Computationally Efficient Package forReactive Transport

Reactive transport modeling is an essential tool for the analysis
of coupled physical, chemical and biological processes in earth
systems, and has the additional potential to integrate the results from
fundamental research. Using a modern reactive transport approach it is
also possible to provide predictive capabilities for these systems that are
well beyond the empirical models in wide use today. CrunchFlow is a
user-friendly, computationally efficient package for reactive transport
that allows users ranging from beginner to expert to explore a broad
range of problems
in the earth and
environmental
sciences,
including
contaminant
migration,
soil processes,
carbon and
nutrient cycling, subsurface CO2 storage, the chemical consequences
of hydraulic fracturing and chemical and physical weathering. The
treatment of a wide array of coupled processes in CrunchFlow make
it ideal for use in university courses. The computational efficiency
means that a wide array of problems can be run on standard desktop
computers—something not possible before.

CyberEpi includes a 2/3-dimensional process simulation capability
for compound growth by MOCVD. Given the deposition reactor
geometry, chemical species and growth condition parameters, CyberEpi
predicts the film growth rate and thickness uniformity based on
detailed chemical kinetics and mass/heat transfer models. CyberEpi
helps shorten
epitaxial processes
development
and equipment
improvement cycles
and reduces costs by
efficiently providing
optimal parameters.

CyberEpi is
intended for
MOCVD users
wishing to develop
new growth
procedures or
improve their
existing deposition process parameters and MOCVD equipment
developers wishing to improve current reactor designs or develop new
showerheads for higher yield and throughput.

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
CO-DEVELOPER: OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Study Flow in Subsurface Fractured Rock
dfn Works software represents realistic and accurate fracture networks
for scientists to perform robust investigations of flow/transport in
subsurface fractured rock. Although critical for many industrial,
civil and governmental applications, the inherent complexity of flow
through these fractured systems makes it difficult for conventional
subsurface simulation software packages to provide trustworthy results.
The dfn Works software overcomes previous technical barriers by
combining novel computational meshing techniques and massively
parallel computational implementations. dfn Works stands apart from
all other subsurface
simulators because it
can use and represent
actual site data that
consists of hundreds
of thousands of
fractures, has an
easy-to-run user
interface that requires
minimal effort to
run hundreds of
simulations even
though the workflow
is massively parallel, and contains the world’s only three-dimensional
discrete fracture network particle-tracking method. The flexibility
makes it possible to study flow and transport in fractured media at
scales that range from millimeters to kilometers. With dfn Works, it
is now possible to perform previously deemed unfeasible numerical
experiments of flow and transport through porous media.

◗ www.lanl.gov

THE MITRE CORPORATION

Safer Single-Pilot Flights

Statistics show that single-pilot operations—which make up the majority
of General Aviation flights— are riskier than two-pilot flights. This is
due to the high workload associated with flying an airplane solo and
the lack of a second pilot to crosscheck decisions. Digital Copilot is a
set of software algorithms that acts as a cognitive assistant by reducing
the solo pilot’s workload. This application infers the pilot’s intent
based on the flight context, determines when information is required
and automatically
provides it to
the pilot at the
appropriate time
through a simple
and intuitive speech-based interface.

For example, by
understanding what
the pilot is trying
to do, the Digital
Copilot can offer
radio frequencies
when they are needed, monitor for weather events at the destination
airport, or warn the pilot if he/she deviates from safe operations. This
product improves safety by delivering some of the benefits of a second
pilot to small aircraft. The Digital Copilot solution is low cost, requires
no connection to the aircraft and runs on mobile devices. It provides
the information pilots need, when they need it, and in a format that is
helpful and not distracting.